Dressing for a corn and the like



June 18, 1968 B. L. STEEL. 3,388,702

DRESSING FOR A CORN AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 21, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4Q/f l ooofoooox f o o O o O o O O O 1 l \\\\l i l l; j" j] 7 ll INVENTOR.

iff/*P444 imi /'i June 18, 1968 B. 1 STEEL 3,388,702

DRESSING FOR A CORN AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 21, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. 7mm/m l 52222 United States Patent O 3,388,702 DRESSING EUR ACORN ANI) 'HIE infill Bertram L. Steel, 2345 Casa Grande, Pasadena,Calif. 91104 Filed Feb. 2l, 1%6, Ser. No. 523,373 Claims. (Cl. I23153)This invention relates to a sterile dressing and protective appliancefor use in treating corns, hunions and the like.

A principal causative factor in the occurrence of corns on feet is unduepressure applied to a small area of a foot, usually to a toe, by theshoes a person wears. It has long been believed that a corn willdisappear naturally if the pressure is relieved. Accordingly, cornplasters now in use and commercially avaliable consist essentially of aflexible base, usually made of cloth or synthetic film, having a shapecorresponding to the general shape of a corn to which the plaster is tobe applied, but somewhat larger in size than the corn. One side of thebase is coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive around a central areaintended to be placed over the corn. Usually a backing strip isreleasably adhered to the adhesive to prevent the accumulation offoreign matter on the adhesive prior to use of the plaster. The plasteralso consists of a ring of felt or the like secured to the other side ofthe base peripherally of the central area of the base. When the plasteris applied over a corn, the annular felt pad lies peripherally of thecorn and prevents a shoe or the like from bearing directly upon thecorn. The plasters are not sold in sterile packages since sterility ofthe plasters is not necessary to the protection of the plaster frompressure by a shoe or the like. As a result, the plasters now availablecommerciahy, because of the many hands through which they pass, are farfrom sterile. In many cases of corn treatment, the unsterile nature ofthe presently available plasters is not harmful.

Very often corns produce openings in the skin below the corn. Also,openings caused by abrasion or a puncture can be produced below a cornby the individual during self-treatment of the corn. If such openings donot become infected before treatment by corn plaster is commenced, theopening is very likely to become infected because of the use of anunsterile plaster on the corn. If the opening is already infected, theuse of an unsterile plaster on the corn will do the infection no goodand may aggravate the infection.

The unsterility of presently available corn plasters is a very realproblem when it is realized that such plasters are quite widely marketedin myriad retail outlets. These plasters are marketed in such a manneras to suggest to a large segment of the purchasing public that thetreatment of a corn is a simple matter and that prefessional care is notrequired. Where a person suffers from a simple corn which has notproduced a break in the skin, the use of these plasters may do somegood, and it usually does no serious harm even if the corn does notdisappear. In the case where the corn is advanced and has produced anopening in the skin, which opening vmay or may not be infected, thesuggestion that an unsterile plaster may be used to advantage withoutconsultation with a person having medical training can cause seriousharm.

This invention provides an improved corn plaster and `the like. Aprincipal feature of the plaster is that it is sterile and is containedin a sealed package until ready for use so that its sterility ismaintained. Also, in the preferred form, the plaster is arranged tocorrect partial contraction of toe tendons, a condition which usuallyprecedes and indirectly causes the occurrence of corns.

Generally speaking, this invention provides a sterile dressing for acorn and the like. The dressing includes a flexible base having anobverse side and a reverse side.

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A sterile pad, sized to cover a corn or the like of selected size, issecured to the base substantially centrally of the base. A protectivepad, fabricated of a deformable material having limited compressibility,is secured to the base adjacent the sterile pad for protecting a cornand the like overlaid by the sterile pad in use of the dressing frompressure by a shoe or the like. A layer of pressure-sensitive adhesiveis disposed over the obverse side of the base at least adjacent thesterile pad. Protective sheet means are releasably adhered to theadhesive over the extent of the adhesive. The above-described structureis housed in a sealed package in a condition of sterility until use ofthe dressing.

The above-mentioned and other features of the present invention are morefully set forth in the following detailed description of the inventionpresented with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is an enlarged cross-sectional elevation view of a dressingassembly according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the dressing shown in FIG. l removed fromits sealed package;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation view of another dressing;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation view of another dressing;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of another dressing;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional elevation view taken along line 6 6 of FIG.5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional elevation view of a foot in a shoe, the footshowing the conditions which are productive of a corn;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional elevation view through a corn on afoot;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the corn in an advanced statewherein the skin below the corn has ruptured;

FIG. l0 is a top plan view of yet another dressing according'to thisinvention;

FIG. 1l is an elevation view showing the dressing of FIG. l0 applied toa toe over a corn; and

FIG. l2 is a view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. ll.

A dressing assembly 10 for a corn, bunion or foot callous, as shown inFIGS. l and 2 includes a sealed sterile package 121. within which isdisposed a sterile dressing and protective appliance l2. The packagepreferably is made of paper treated to be impervious to air and to germsand the like carried in the air and on the hands of persons who handlethe package. The dressing includes a base I3 which, as shown in FIG. 2,has an elongate strip-like configuration. The base is made of a flexiblematerial which ray be deformed to follow the contours of a foot to whichthe dressing is applied. Base 13 is made from an elastic fabric of thetype used in the manufacture of Elastoplast adhesive coverlets by DukeLaboratories, Inc., of South Norwalk, Conn. As will be apparent from thefollowing description, however, the base of dressing l2 may be made ofinelastic fabric or synthetic film, if desired, without departing fromthe scope of this invention- A soft sterite pad M, preferably made ofgauze, is mounted to a central portion of the base of the dressing. Asshown in FIG. l, the sterile pad of dressing i2. is mounted to obverseside l5 of base 13 centraily of the ends of the base strip. The sterilepar, extends substantially across the width of the base strip.Preferably the sterile pad is adhered to a layer of pressure-sensitiveadhesive which covers the entire surface of the obverse side of thebase; if the pad is otherwise secured to the base, the adhesive materialcovers the portions of the obverse side of the base not covered by thepad. The base strip extends from the opposite ends of the protective padto define a pair of aligned tabs 7. A pair of protective backing strips18 are releasably adhered to the adhesive material over the entiresurface area of the tabs for protecting the adhesive material fromcontamination by foreign matter and for preventing the adhesive fromcoming into contact with and adhering to the adjacent surfaces ofpackage 11. Each backing strip is carried by a respective tab andextends at least partially across the sterile pad into overlyingrelation with the adjacent end of the other backing strip. The backingstrips have widths equal to the width of base 13.

A dressing according to this invention includes at least onepressure-relieving protective pad, made of a flexible material havinglimited compressibility, i.e., substantially incompressible, mounted tothe base of the dressing adjacent the sterile pad. Dressing 12 includestwo pressurerelieving protective pads 19 secured to the reverse side 2dof the dressing base at tabs 17. The protective pads re arranged so thatthey lie adjacent the sterile pad and are centered along thelongitudinal centerline of the dressing. Each pad has an arcuatelycurved end 21 disposed away from the sterile pad convex to the end ofthe base. Each pad also has an arcuately curved end Z2 disposed adjacentthe sterile pad and concave to the sterile pad; the concave curvature ofthe ends of the protective pads adjacent the sterile pad permits theprotective pads to be placed closely adjacentfthe sterile pad andprovides in'- creased effectiveness of the protective pads relative to acorn overlaid by the sterile pad when the dressing is in use. Theprotective pads preferably are made of dense felt having littlecompressibility and having a thickness of about one-eighth inch. Thefelt is of sufiicient density that the maximum reduction in thickness ofthe protective pads during use of the dressing is not more' than onehalfthe original thickness of the felt.

FIG. 3 shows another dressing 2S which is sold in a sterile conditionwithin a sealed protective housing 1li. Dressing 25 includes a base 13fabricated either of an elastic fabric as described above, a non-elasticfabric, or a synthetic film material. The base has a strip-likeconfiguration in that it is longer than it is wide. A sterile pad 14,preferably fabricated of soft gauze material, is secured to a centrallocation of the base so that the base defines tabs 26 which extend fromthe opposite ends of the pad. A deformable pressure-relieving protectivepad 19 is secured to the obverse side of base tab 26 closely adjacent tothe sterile pad. Each protective pad has an arcuately concave end 22open to the sterile pad. The surfaces of the protective pads oppositefrom the base are coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesivematerial 16;the pressure-sensitive adhesive material is also disposed over theobverse side of the hase between the protective pads and the extremeends of the base strip. A pair of removable backiug strips 18 arereleasably adhered to the pressure-sensitive adhesive material andextend from the opposite ends of the dressing to beyond the midpoint ofthe dressing. As a result, the backing strips are disposed in overlyingrelation to each other centrally of theksterile pad. When dressing 25 isto he used, it is removed from its sterile housing and the backingstrips are peeled away from the pressure-sensitive adhesive material.The dressing is then applied to a toe so that the sterile pad overlies acorn and the pressure pads are adhered to the toe immediately adjacentto the corn to protect the corn from pressure by a shoe or the like.

FIG. 4 shows another dressing Sti according to this invention includingan elongate strip-like base 31 having an obverse side 32 and a reverseside 33. The base of dressing 30 is fabricated from an impervioussynthetic film which may or may not have elastic characteristics,although the use of a film having elastic characteristics is preferred.A soft sterile pad 14 is secured to the base centrally of its length sothat the base has oppositely projecting end tabs 34 extending laterallyfrom the base. Pressure-sensitive adhesive material 16 is disposed overthe exposed areas of the obverse surface of base 31. A

single pressure-relieving protective pad 19, having an end 22 curvedconcave away from the pressure-relieving pad, is mounted to one of tabs34 on the reverse side of the base. The pressure-relieving pad ispositioned so that pad end 22 is disposed closely adjacent to, and openstoward sterile pad 14. A cover sheet 3S, preferably fabricated of thesame material as base 31, overlies the pressure-relieving and thesterile pads as shown in FIG. 3 and is secured to the base and thepressure-relieving pad. When the base and the cover sheet are fabricatedof a synthetic film, it is preferred that both these components of thedressing be perforated, as at 36, adjacent the sterile pad forventilation of the sterile pad. A pair of removable protective backingstrips 18 are releasably adhered to the pressure-sensitive adhesivematerial and overlie the sterile pad as shown. Dressing 3G is marketedin a sealed sterile housing such as package 11.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a dressing 4) which is particularly adapted for useon extremely large bunions and callouses, although it may be modifiedfor use on corns without departing from the scope of this invention.cludes an elongate fiexihle base 41 which is longer than it is wide, butwherein the ratio of base length to base width is lower than indressings 10, 25 and 30, described above. Preferably the base isfabricated of an elastic synthetic material and has a perforated centralarea 42. A soft sterile gauze pad 43 is secured to an obverse side 44 ofthe base in the perforated central area of the base. The pad has a widthsubstantially equal to, but slightly less than, the width of the base.The base defines end tabs 4S, which extend in opposite directions awayfrom the opposite ends of the sterile pad. A layer of pressure-sensitiveadhesive material 16 is disposed over the entire extent of the obversesurface of the base at tabs 45. A pair of removable sterile pad andadhesive material protecting backing strips are removably adhered to theadhesive material and overlie the protecting pad as shown in FIG. 6. Apair of arcuately curved pressure-relieving protective pads 47,preferably fabricated of dense felt, are secured to the reverse side ofbase 41 at tabs 45 so that the protective pads lie closely adjacent toand are concave toward the sterile pad. The protective pads areremovably adhered to the reverse side of the base by a layer ofreleasable adhesive material 46y disposed between the pads and the basetabs.

A rst protective pad cover sheet 48, having a base edge of a widthcorresponding to the width of base 41 at the end of sterile pad 44 and ashape defining a tapered tab 51 opposite the base edge, is secured tothe reverse side of the base adjacent each pad 47. Each sheet 43 has itsbase edge secured to the base immediately adjacent to each end of thesterile pad. The remainder of the cover sheet extends toward the remoteend of the adjacent base tab over the adjacent pressure-relieving pad. Apair of second cover sheets 49, shaped substantially in conformation tothe planfor-rn configuration of base tabs 45, are provided. Each sheet49 has one edge thereof secured to the base at the extreme end of thedressing, as shown in FIG. 6; the second cover sheet extends towards thecentral portion of the dressing over the adjacent pressurerelieving pad.The end of each pressure-relieving pad disposed away from the sterilepad is spaced inwardly of the adjacent end of the dressing, A slit 50,see FIG. 5, is formed through the second cover sheet between the portionthereof which is secured to base 41 and the proximate end of theadjacent protective pad. The tapered tab end of the corresponding firstcover sheet is passed through slit 50 so that the cover sheets may beinterleaved to enclose the protective pad over which they extend.

Dressing 40, being adapted for use on a bunion or a foot callous,normally is applied to a foot in such a position that the dressing ssubjected during use to considerable pressure and abrasion. For example,if the dressing were applied to the bottom of a persons foot and coversheets 48 and 49 were not provided, the protective pads The dressinginwould bear directly against the users stocking and the pads wouldbecome abraded and worn sufficiently that their effectiveness inrelieving the bunion or callous would be impaired. When such occurs, thenatural body functions Which cause the callous or bunion to heal cannotbe effective. Cover sheets 43 and 49 provide the felt pressure-relievingprotective pads with a protection from such abrasion and thereby enhancethe utility of the overall dressing. The protective pads are relativelyincompressible but, in use, they will be compressed sufficiently after atime to allow some pressure to be applied to the bunion or callous overwhich pad 44 is disposed. In view of the tab-and-slot interleavedconnection of cover sheets 48 and 49, however, the pressure-relievingpads are accessible and may be replaced as desired without removing thebasic dressing from the body.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate the development of a corn 55 on a toe 56 ofa human foot 57, the foot being shown inside `a shoe 58. When a corn ora hammertoe condition is exhibited by a toe, the toe is usually found tobe in a fiexed or semi-flexed state. The permanent nature of thiscondition is caused by the contraction of certain plantar muscles in thefoot along the bottom or side of the toe. This permanent contraction ofthe plantar muscles causes the over-extension yof two dorsal muscles inthe toe, and these dorsal muscles become partially inactive and suffer aloss of tone. These conditions are most frequently caused by thecontinued use of ill-fitting shoes which cause the toe to ex into aposition such that the plantar muscle contraction can occur. When suchcontraction occurs, the toe is caused to bear at a localized positionagainst the interior of the shoe as shown in FIG. 7 in the area of cornS5. The continued application of pressure by the shoe against the toecauses the corn to develop.

A corn is a localized and exaggerated accumulation of dead skin over thedermis 59 (see FIG. 8) or vital skin layer. Normally the dermisregenerates itself at a relatively slow but constant rate, but whenpressure is applied to a small area of the skin the regenerativeprocesses in the dermis are accelerated in this area. If the pressure isnot relieved for a sufficient time, as where a person wears ill-fittingshoes day-in and day-out, the dead skin produced in the dermalregenerative process is prevented from being removed, and this matteraccumulates in a deposit known as a corn. As the corn grows, it causesthe adjacent dermis to be depressed, as shown in FIG. 8. Ultimately thecorn may become massive enough to cause the dermis to be ruptured belowthe corn, as shown in FIG. 9. When a dermal rupture occurs, the fieshadjacent the rupture may become infected, as shown at eti in FIG. 9.

If the pressure upon the corn is relieved before the corn produces arupture in the dermis, normal body processes cause the corn to breakloose from the dermis in a matter of days. As noted above, unsterile,corn plasters previrously available treated corns merely by relievingthe pressure upon the corn so that these body processes could becomeeffective to shed the corn. Where the dermal layer is ruptured, however,the use of an unsterile corn plaster may lead to infection if infectionis not already present. The dressings described above, being sterile andkept in a sterile package until use, cannot aggravate or produceinfection when used to treat advanced corns.

Prior plasters, being designed merely to relieve pressure upon a corn sothat the body can shed the corn in response to natural processes, donothing to correct the condition, i.e., permanent contraction of plantarmuscles, which originally set the stage for the occurrence of a corn.Dressings according to this invention may be used to correct plantarmuscle contraction while they relieve the pressure upon a corn.

A dressing according to this invention differs from presently availablecorn plasters by having a pronounced length; presently availableplasters are essentially patches to be applied circumjacent a corn. Theabove-described dressings are applied so that the length of the dressinglies along the length of a toe on which occurs a corn to be treated.Such dressings are applied after the toe has first been moved from itsflexed condition back toward the relaxed position of a normal toe. Afterthe dressing has been applied, the restoring force on the flexed toe isrelaxed. As the toe tends to return to its flexed state, tension isbuilt np in the base of the dressing and this tension prevents completereturn of the toe to its flexed state. By this means, the contractedplantar muscles are placed under tension and are induced to return totheir normal condition. As a result, the use of the above-describeddressings treats not only the corn but the condition which produces thecorn so that the corn does not recur; such treatment is made moreeffective if the foot treated is also provided with properly fittingshoes.

The use of an elastic material, either fabric or a synthetic film, inthe dressings described is preferred. Elasticity in the dressing basepermits the dressing to be effective over a longer period as the toemoves to an unflexed state than if an inelastic material is used for thedressing base.

In cases where plantar muscle contraction is extreme and adhesivematerial 16 does not adhere to the toe being treated sufciently securelyto withstand the shear forces developed in the adhesive by the forcetending to move the toe back to its flexed state, dressing 65, shown inFIGS. 10-12, may be used to advantage. The dressing is housed prior touse in a sealed sterile package 11. The dressing includes an elongate,strip-like base 66. "Bhe base preferably is made of a quantity ofelastic fabric or synthetic film, although an essentially inelasticfabric or film may be used. A soft sterile pad 67 is secured to theobverse side of the base centrally of the length of the base. The basedefines a pair of tabs 68 extending in opposite directions from thesterile pad. A pair of pressure-relieving pads 69, each having anoutwardly convexly contoured end surface 70 adjacent the sterile pad,are mounted to the tabs closely adjacent the opposite ends of thesterile pad. The obverse surfaces of the tabs are covered withpressure-sensitive adhesive material 16.

Dressing 65 as described and illustrated is similar to dressing 1Qdescribed above, but it may be modified to resemble dressings 25, 3i) oret), if desired, without departing from the scope of this invention.Such modified forms of dressing 65 are not described in detail orillustrated to simplify the presentation of this invention; also, suchmodifications are readily apparent from the foregoing description.

Each tab 68 of dressing 65 defines a pair of extensions 72 which areformed integral with the table from the base material and which extendsin opposite directions from the opposite edges of the base substantiallynormal to the length of the base. The adhesive material which covers theobverse surfaces of the tabs is also present over the obverse surfacesof the tab extensions. When the dressing is applied to a deflected,normally iiexed toe over a corn, such as to toe 56 as shown in FIGS. lland l2, the tab extensions extend around the toe. The tab extensionsresults in the dressing being to the toe in such a manner that theforces which tend to return the defiected, partialiy straightened toe toits fiexed condition are overcome by the dressing without the dressingslipping on the toe.

A distinct disadvantage of the circular corn pad is that it causes thecorn to pop up through the hole of the pad and thus temporarilyincreases the raise of the corn due to swelling or edema of the tissuesinvolved. This in turn forces more pressure to be appiied on the corn bythe shoe. The dressings described above prevent the corn from raising bythe use of either the single or double protective pad which allow spacefor tissue fluids to escape or ow evenly thus preventing the pop upeffect or the edema.

My invention has been described above with reference to certain physicalembodiments selected and described for the purposes of illustrating theinvention rather than of limiting the scope of the invention.Moditications and alterations of these embodiments within the scope ofthe invention will be apparent to workers skilled in the art to whichthe invention pertains. Accordingly, the foregoing description is not tobe regarded as limiting the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A sterile dressing comprising a flexible base having an obverse sideand a reverse side, a sterile pad sized to cover an area of the body ofselected size secured to the base substantially centrally of the base, aprotective pad fabricated of a deformable material having limitedcompressibility mounted to the base adjacent the sterile pad forprotecting a body area overlaid by the sterile pad from pressure by ashoe and the like, a layer of adhesive material disposed over theobserve side of Athe base at least adjacent the sterile pad, protectivesheet means releasably adhered to the adhesive material over the extentof said material, and a sealed package housing the abovementionedcomponents of the dressing in a condition of sterility until use of thedressing.

2. A dressing according to claim 1 wherein the sterile pad is secured tothe obverse side of tne base and the base denes a pair of tabs extendingin opposite directions along the length of the base away from thesterile pad.

3. A dressing according to claim 2 wherein the protective pad isfabricated of felt suiiiciently dense that the maximum reduction in thethickness thereof by compression during use of the dressing is not morethan one-half the original thickness of the felt.

4. A dressing according to claim 2 wherein the protective pad is mountedto one of said tabs and has an end adjacent the sterile pad curvedtransversely of the base concave to the sterile pad.

5. A dressing according to claim 4 wherein the base is fabricated of anelastic material.

6. A dressing according to claim 4 including a pair of pad extensionsfor each tab defined by the base and extending in opposite directionstransversely of the length of the base from each tab, each extensionhaving an obverse side having said adhesive material disposed thereover.

7. A dressing according to claim 4 including a second protective padsimilar to the protective pad mounted to the one tab, the secondprotective pad being mounted to the other tab adjacent to the sterilepad.

8. A dressing according to claim 4 wherein the protective pad is mountedto the reverse side of the base.

9. A dressing according to claim 8 including cover means overlying theprotective pad and secured to the reverse side of the base forprotecting the protective pad from abrasion during use of the dressing.

10. A dressing according to claim 9 wherein the protective pad ismounted to the reverse side of one tab in spaced relation to the end ofthe tab opposite from the seterile pad, and the cover means includes arst cover sheet secured to the reverse side of the base between theprotective pad and the sterile pad and overlying the protective pad, asecond cover sheet secured to the reverse side of the base adjacent theend of the one tab and overlying the protective pad, and means forreleasably interleaving the cover sheets.

11. A dressing according to claim 10 wherein the protective pad isreleasably adhered to the base.

12. A dressing according to claim 4 wherein the protective pad ismounted to the obverse side of the base, the side of the protective padopposite from the base being covered with said adhesive material, andwherein the protective sheet means extends over the protective pad andis releasably adhered thereto.

13. A dressing according to claim 4 wherein the protective pad isrealasably adhered to the reverse side of the base.

14. A method for simultaneously correcting contraction of plantar musclein a flexed toe and treating a corn on the side of the toe opposite fromsaid plantar muscles including the steps of i (a) providing an elongateadhesive dressing including a sterile pad and a thickened protective padfor relieving pressure upon the corn,

(b) moving the toe at least partially from its flexed position to itsnormal position to at least partially extend said contracted muscles,

(c) applying a holding constraint to the moved toe,

(d) applying the dressing in its elongate statey to the held toe alongthe length of the toe on the side of the toe opposite from said musclesso that the sterile pad overlies the corn, and

(e) removing the holding constraint from the toe so that the dressing isplaced in tension and prevents full return of the toe to its ilexedposition.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the dressing provided iselastic in the direction of its length.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,949,271 2/1934 Duhamel 128-1562,332,473 10/ 1943 Salander 128-153 2,632,443 3/1953 Lesher 128-156ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

1. A STERILE DRESSING COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE BASE HAVING AN OBVERSE SIDEAND A REVERSE SIDE, A STERILE PAD SIZED TO COVER AN AREA OF THE BODY OFSELECTED SIZE SECURED TO THE BASE SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY OF THE BASE, APROTECTIVE PAD FABRICATED OF A DEFORMABLE MATERIAL HAVING LIMITEDCOMPRESSIBILITY MOUNTED TO THE BASE ADJACENT THE STERILE PAD FORPROTECTING A BODY AREA OVERLAID BY THE STERILE PAD FROM PRESSURE BY ASHOE AND THE LIKE, A LAYER OF ADHESIVE MATERIAL DISPOSED OVER THEOBSERVE SIDE OF THE BASE AT LEAST ADJACENT THE STERILE PAD, PROTECTIVESHEET MEANS RELEASABLY ADHERED TO THE ADHESIVE MATERIAL OVER THE EXTENTOF SAID MATERIAL, AND A SEALED PACKAGE HOUSING THE ABOVEMENTIONEDCOMPONENTS OF THE DRESSING IN A CONDITION OF STERILITY UNTIL USE OF THEDRESSING.